Pip and Scout, two loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings, are splashing their way into people’s hearts at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF). For decades, the Aquarium team has cared for hatchlings that did not make the initial trek to the ocean. Pip and Scout are survivors found in nest excavations at Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher—their fun names began with ideas from staff, then votes from students throughout North Carolina who picked their favorites.
“It is important to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to foster connections to aquatic life for students, and engaging them in voting for the turtles’ names is a great way to do that. Inspiring the next generation to tell the story of loggerhead sea turtles like Pip and Scout bolsters our work to save this protected species,” said Andy Gould, education curator, NCAFF.
Sea turtle hatchlings capture the hearts and minds of visitors to 
North Carolina beaches—these two-inch hatchlings, weighing less than a half-pound, can create a powerful connection. Sharing these tiny ambassadors with visitors amplifies the Aquarium mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of aquatic environments. You’ll find them taking turns in the loggerhead conservation habitat at the Aquarium. Please reserve tickets in advance of your trip by visiting NCAFF Admissions.
Near the Aquarium, there is a network of nest watchers, parents and other volunteers who dedicate their time to protect and care for sea turtles. Some local sea turtle organizations are:
Coastal development, beach activities and ocean plastics are among the perils that befall sea turtles. To learn more about our hatchlings and how you can take individual action to protect sea turtles, visit Meet Pip & Scout.
The Aquarium is grateful for the volunteers and we are committed to caring for sick or injured sea turtles by working with sea turtle stranding networks, nesting beach patrols and other aquariums and sea turtle rehabilitation facilities including the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island.